Lunchtime Talk: ‘The remarkable life of Olive Gibbs’

‘Politics and protest in 20th century Oxford: The remarkable life of Olive Gibbs’

Olive Gibbs was born in the ‘tough but full-blooded’ parish of St Thomas’s in West Oxford in 1918. She went on to become a redoubtable local Labour politician, peace campaigner, and founding member of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).

During her long political career, she helped to stop the building of an inner relief road through Christ Church Meadow, prevented the mass clearance of housing in Jericho and was instrumental in the demolition of the infamous Cutteslowe Walls. She protested against the Spanish Civil War with Denis Healey and later led anti-nuclear marches with Marc Bolan, Joan Baez and Donovan.

In this talk, led by local historian local historian Liz Woolley, we will explore Olive Gibb’s extraordinary life and legacy, and her lasting impact on the city of Oxford.

This talk has been programmed in celebration of Women’s History Month 2025.

Tickets cost £5 and are available online via Eventbrite (booking fee applies) or at the Museum shop.

Further information

Complimentary tea and coffee will be available to enjoy during the talk. We recommend arriving before the start of the talk if you would like to grab a refreshment.

Sales from tickets help support our work to deliver fun and accessible family activities, community engagement projects, schools workshops, exhibitions and special events for Oxford’s people in our Museum spaces.

Liz Woolley is a local historian specialising in the history of Oxford’s ‘town’ – as opposed to ‘gown’ – and of the everyday lives of ordinary working people, chiefly during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Liz has lived in Oxford for forty years and has an MSc in English Local History from the University’s Department for Continuing Education. She is an experienced tour guide, speaker, tutor, researcher and writer, who enjoys helping people discover the perhaps less well-known history of Oxford and its citizens.

Access

There is step-free, level entry access to the Town Hall via the entrance closest to Carfax Tower (to the left of the main steps as you face the Town Hall). Inside the Museum, Museum Makers is accessible via a platform lift to the Galleries and then a lift to the basement.

Accessible toilets are available in the Museum (close to Museum Makers) and in the Town Hall on the ground floor, before entering the Museum. Please contact the Museum team if you’d like to talk to a member of staff about your access requirements. Further access information can be found on our page dedicated to access at the museum.

Photo consent

Please be aware that photographs will be taken at this event for use in marketing. If you (or a member of your group) would prefer not to be photographed, please let a member of staff know during the event.